Watched this short film and now I am convinced that the galaxy is teeming with life.
Do you think extra terrestrials are similair in shape and thought to us or completly different.
Hubble Deep Field
2006-09-30 09:43:42 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Sorry about dodhy link-Hope this is better.
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/hubble-deep-field-p1.php
2006-09-30 09:59:11 · update #1
Very nice video.
As far as extraterrestrials, there are probably as many shapes as there are species. Some people talk about convergent evolution, but I think that it would depend on the local conditions and what a species has to evolve in and around. What is the local gravity? Are there any predators? How bright is the star? Far too many variables to ponder.
2006-09-30 16:14:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not. I don't know about extraterrestrial life. It seems a very plausible idea to me, but we don't have any evidence for it yet.
However, the ONE thing I am confident about extraterrestrial life is that the notion of it being humanoid is utterly ridiculous.
The reason I think this is because all life, terrestrial or extraterrestrial , has to obey the laws of evolution. At the simplest level the best adapted to an individual environment will survive.
Humans are here by chance, we are the product of a huge number of chance events leading to evolutionary success by our ancestors. If there hadn't been a mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period there would still be dinosaurs and mammals would not have evolved to the stage they have now. If the tree life of the african plains hadn't died out 2-4 million years ago, the impetus for our ancestors to come out of the trees to walk on two feet wouldn't have happened. These are just two of MILLIONS of chance events that have led to our present appearance.
It is inconceivable that the same series of chance events would occur on another planet. All planets will have different gravity, different atmospheres, different ecosystems. It is very unlikely that the same coincidences would arise that would support the evolution of two legged, two armed, erect headed, eyes in the front species (and I think that is the minimum requirement to be humanoid).
I think that failure to recognise the unlikeliness of extra-terrestrial humanoid life is the main drawback to the believability of most science fiction.
2006-09-30 16:50:48 · answer #2 · answered by the last ninja 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I think it would be completely different. Not much life on Earth is humanoid anyway!
Evolution is such a random process that if life began on Earth again I don't think it would evolve in exactly the same way, so I'd say the chances of humanoid extra-terrestrials are very small.
2006-09-30 17:46:52 · answer #3 · answered by lauriekins 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considering the popular Drake Equation used to determine the existing of life on other planets:
N = N*fp*ne*fl*fi*fc*fL
Where
N* represents the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy
As In: How many stars are in the Milky Way Galaxy?
Answer: Current estimates are 100 billion.
fp is the fraction of stars that have planets around them
As In: What percentage of stars have planetary systems?
Answer: Current estimates range from 20% to 50%.
ne is the number of planets per star that are capable of sustaining life
As In: For each star that does have a planetary system, how many planets are capable of sustaining life?
Answer: Current estimates range from 1 to 5.
fl is the fraction of planets in ne where life evolves
As In: On what percentage of the planets that are capable of sustaining life does life actually evolve?
Answer: Current estimates range from 100% (where life can evolve it will) down to close to 0%.
fi is the fraction of fl where intelligent life evolves
As In: On the planets where life does evolve, what percentage evolves intelligent life?
Answer: Estimates range from 100% (intelligence is such a survival advantage that it will certainly evolve) down to near 0%.
fc is the fraction of fi that communicate
As In: What percentage of intelligent races have the means and the desire to communicate?
Answer: 10% to 20%
and fL is fraction of the planet's life during which the communicating civilizations live
As In: For each civilization that does communicate, for what fraction of the planet's life does the civilization survive?
Answer: This is the toughest of the questions. If we take Earth as an example, the expected lifetime of our Sun and the Earth is roughly 10 billion years. So far we've been communicating with radio waves for less than 100 years. How long will our civilization survive? Will we destroy ourselves in a few years like some predict or will we overcome our problems and survive for millennia? If we were destroyed tomorrow the answer to this question would be 1/100,000,000th. If we survive for 10,000 years the answer will be 1/1,000,000th.
When all of these variables are multiplied together when come up with:
N, the number of communicating civilizations in the galaxy.
The answer of whether life on other planets is humanoid or not is significantly towards the NOT side, given conservative estimates for life on other planets to be not that high to begin with!
2006-09-30 17:12:06 · answer #4 · answered by djeddiej_2000 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who knows, maybe. I think we were put here as an experiment in planet destruction and we're good at it.
Its niave to think we're alone in the gallaxy, life will find a way and it will take what ever form that is the most practical. Survival of the fittest i guess.
2006-09-30 17:04:41 · answer #5 · answered by weagie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Convergent evolution can produce some remarkably similar features and species. A good example is "the eye" which has developed indepently several times on this planet... it is so useful it keeps appearing.
Aloha
2006-09-30 16:46:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on the planets own eco-system. life could be humanoid (more correctly termed animaloid) or plant-oid, or maybe a bit of both like it is here. Maybe even animalplant-oid, who knows !.
2006-09-30 16:49:14 · answer #7 · answered by Jon H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Humaniod, Polaroid, Heimatiod, does it matter ?? if they
have any sort of brain like us, (human beings) they are
about to die of famine or thirst, blow themselves up through
war, or just ruin their atmosphere !! sound familiar ??
2006-09-30 16:50:49 · answer #8 · answered by landgirl60 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nope if there is life on other planets they wont look like us thats for sure.because they will have diffrent food chains they will adapt to there there own enviroment.like we humans adapt to earth though evelution
2006-09-30 16:51:37 · answer #9 · answered by rusty red 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the link didn't work.
To answer your question I think there's a planet full of robots somewhere.
Judgement day
2006-09-30 16:46:30 · answer #10 · answered by timone 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋